The 2023-2024 IDEAWORKS Catalyst Fund (ICF) is currently supporting 14 Mohawk College faculty and staff researchers engaged in nine different applied research across diverse fields such as biotechnology, construction materials testing, and cardiac sonography.

Since its inception in 2015, the ICF has promoted innovation at the college by investing in emerging researchers and fostering applied research collaborations with industry, non-profit, and community organizations.

The fund not only provides staff and faculty with the means to address real-world problems through research and innovation but also underscores the importance of student involvement in applied research at the college. Each project listed below offers students valuable real-world experience in their respective fields, equipping them with skills essential for the job market.

In the 2023-2024 cycle, the ICF is supporting various research projects through its seed funding:

Algae Types and Growth Trends in the Hamilton Harbour

Professors Ethan Paschos and Alysa De Bellis are conducting an analysis and testing project in collaboration with MacWater Diagnostic Research Initiative (MDRI). The goal is to leverage Mohawk’s expertise in environmental monitoring to understand cyanobacteria growth in Lake Ontario (Hamilton region), addressing its impact on drinking water, fisheries, agriculture, tourism, real estate, and water quality. The research team aims to identify algae types, monitor cyanobacteria using eDNA, and develop testing methodologies to provide crucial information to MDRI for further research.

Diagnostic Cardiac Sonography for Infants in Canada

Researchers at Mohawk College’s Institute of Applied Health Sciences, including Babitha Thampinathan, Jacqueline Wheatley, Jennifer Burton, Judy Jones, and Cameron Redsell-Montgomerie, are validating Intelligent Ultrasound (IU)’s pediatric echocardiography simulation platform, Babyworks. This project aims to assess the simulator's effectiveness in training professionals to detect congenital heart disease, supporting IU’s growth strategy within Canada.

Recycled Concrete vs. Limestone and Sand & Gravel Aggregates: A Comparative Study

Professor Irene Amog collaborates with Lafarge, an international provider of building materials, to conduct performance tests on their sustainable recycled concrete material in comparison to limestone, sand and gravel aggregates. The research shows that high-quality controlled recycled concrete granular material has similar physical appearance and performance to limestone and sand & and gravel aggregates in road base applications while adhering to industry standards. Mohawk College holds the distinction of being the first Canadian post-secondary institution certified by the Canadian Council of Independent Laboratories (CCIL).

Indigenous Research Methodology

Led by Carlie Myke and Amanda White, this project aims to create a purpose-built methodology and procedure for research projects at Mohawk College or in partnership with the institution. The methodology involves foundational consultations with community members from Six Nations of the Grand River, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nations, and Urban Indigenous communities. It informs the procedure for Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers, outlining responsibilities to partner communities.
 

IDEAWORKS Grant Release Fund

In addition to awarding ICF Seed Funding to four projects, the ICF Grant Release Fund also provided funding to support researchers Ian De Geer and Christine Sager for their applied research project with Interval House, Krissy Doyle-Thomas for her CIHR-funded project to advance inclusive mental health support for Black Canadians, Christine Boyko-Head for her collaboration with Rabbittown Community Centre, and Stephen Adams for his applied research collaboration with the National Air Force Museum of Canada.

The ICF program is now accepting applications for projects that will be undertaken in 2024-2025. For more information on eligibility and applications to the ICF, please email andrea.johnson4@mohawkcollege.ca

Mohawk College is working with mental health professionals, health professionals, community leaders, and persons with lived experience to develop a framework for preventative mental health care specifically tailored to Black Canadians.

Black Canadians face several barriers to accessing mental health services, including stigma, financial constraints, difficulty securing family doctors, lack of culturally sensitive care, and systemic issues within the healthcare system that perpetuate inequities.

This applied research project, under the direction of Mohawk College researcher Dr. Krissy Doyle-Thomas, will involve stakeholders from within the Black community to offer a framework for a psychoeducation program specifically tailored to meet the unique needs of Black Canadians. The psychoeducation program will include elements of cognitive behaviour therapy, group therapy, education and more. The goal is to empower the Black community with the knowledge and tools needed to support illness awareness, treatment adherence, early detection signs, and consistent lifestyle practices.

“The ultimate goal of our research collaboration is to provide mental health service providers with a tool to effectively support the mental well-being of Black Canadians,” says Dr. Doyle-Thomas, a Professor in Brain Disorders Management, and Mental Health and Disability Management at Mohawk College. “By developing this framework in close collaboration with the community, it ensures the program will be culturally responsive, inclusive, and highly relevant to the challenges and experiences faced by Black Canadians in relation to their mental health.”

The project is supported by funding from a Planning and Dissemination Grant from the federally-funded Canadian Institutes of Health Research. 

The National Air Force Museum of Canada (NAFMC) in Trenton, Ontario, is collaborating with Mohawk College to explore the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology to preserve the captivating history of Canadian military aviation.

The NAFMC and IDEAWORKS, the applied research division of Mohawk College, will jointly conduct research focusing on the ethics behind using facial recognition AI to catalog and index archival images of members of Canada’s air forces from the NAFMC’s collection. Working in partnership with NAFMC curators, Professor Stephen Adams of Mohawk’s School of Engineering Technology and Aviation will lead the project with the help of a team of student research assistants.

The NAFMC houses thousands of historic photos in its expansive archival collection. To digitally index these photos, they need to be classified with information to make it easy for users/visitors to search, navigate, and filter them. Facial recognition artificial intelligence (AI) and crowd-sourced data could be used to generate valuable, searchable annotations for the NAFMC’s collection. However, because these annotations will encompass biographical details of the individuals depicted in the photographs and descriptions of the contextual elements within each image, there are privacy and ethical concerns that need to be addressed before AI can be used.

Mohawk’s research team aims to advance museum practices, which will ultimately foster public engagement, and contribute to the broader knowledge and accessibility of our cultural heritage. This research is a significant step in preserving the stories of Canadian air forces personnel and making this history accessible to the public.

Prof. Adams emphasizes that the goal of the research project is to investigate the use of the new technology while studying the ethical implications of its uses in Canadian museums. "Our goal is to effectively utilize AI tools in a manner that respects privacy and upholds the dignity of veterans and their communities. By collaborating with experienced museum staff, we aim to connect the public with the rich photographic history preserved in museum archives."

Project researchers will delve into the ethical considerations surrounding the creation and implementation of facial recognition systems, collaborating with the NAFMC and cultural organizations to explore privacy standards. The objective is to establish guidelines that carefully balance individual privacy rights with the public’s right to access historical knowledge.

The results of the project will improve the public’s interaction with historical archives, assist NAFMC staff in their work and provide a new tool for researchers and historians. Mohawk’s team intends to train the museum staff on how to leverage AI products and technology within research, ensuring adherence to ethical considerations.

"We’re excited to be partnering with the applied research division of Mohawk College to explore the application of new technologies in the Museum field,” says Kevin Windsor, Executive Director, National Air Force Museum of Canada. “This project will further our ability to tell Canada’s air force history by building on the RCAF’s historical narrative and allow the public the opportunity to learn more through participatory engagement. With the RCAF celebrating their 100th anniversary in 2024, this is a meaningful and opportune time to discover more about your air force."

The project will also create a generalized framework for photo digitization that can be applied to a variety of museums. The research will address potential risks to participant privacy and the privacy of the subjects in the photographs, as well as exploring methods for self-regulating crowdsourcing.

This collaboration was made possible thanks to funding from the Partnership Engage Grant, provided by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). Prof. Adams' research release time is supported by IDEAWORKS’ Centre for Emerging Research Initiatives.

Mohawk College and the Hamilton Public Library (HPL) are partnering on a new research project to help college students juggle their academic and caregiving responsibilities to ensure academic success.

With funding support from the federal government’s College and Community Social Innovation Fund (CCSIF), the College Student Success Innovation Centre (CSSIC) at Mohawk College and HPL will develop, implement, and evaluate educational support programming for post-secondary student-caregivers and their dependents.

Up to 18 per cent of Mohawk College’s full-time students serve as caregivers to early-year and school-aged children. These students often struggle to balance their academic responsibilities with care provision for their dependents.

The goal of the research study is to create and test a new model that supports these student-caregivers and their dependents at the same time and in the same space. CSSIC is calling it “tandem educational programming.”

“This project represents an exciting opportunity to bring together existing resources to create something new and needed. HPL already provides engaging community-based programming for patrons of all ages. Mohawk College has a robust peer-tutoring program through its Learning Support Centre, and enrolls hundreds of trainees in Early Childhood Education programs,” says Dr. Pamela Ingleton, Director of CSSIC and the project’s research lead. “This dynamic collaboration is a potential blueprint for developing programs that address community needs. As an added benefit, it helps foster intergenerational experiences and the role-modeling and normalization of help-seeking behaviour, in this case accessing educational support or tutoring.”

The core research question explores the value of providing dedicated learning time for student-caregivers without separating them from their caregiving roles. The model encourages connections among peers who are also student-caregivers, creating a support network crucial for success. Joining the project as a collaborator will be Dr. Tricia van Rhijn, Professor and Department Chair in the University of Guelph’s Department of Family Relations & Applied Nutrition.

For the team at the HPL, the collaboration marks an opportunity for the library to extend its reach.

“The proposed tandem programming will provide Hamilton Public Library new ways to support student-caregivers while offering children positive experiences that focus on early literacy, school readiness and building social-emotional skills,” says Cindy Poggiaroni, HPL’s Director of Collections and Program Development. “This great partnership with Mohawk College aligns with HPL’s commitment to supporting literacy and fostering a lifelong love of reading in our community.”

Using a multi-generational or "2Gen" approach, this initiative will be the first of its kind to simultaneously address the educational needs of caregivers and their dependents within the same space. By leveraging existing expertise at HPL and across academic and student services areas at Mohawk College, this initiative aims to provide much-needed resources to an underserved and underrecognized population. The immediate focus over the next three years of the project is to support local student-caregivers, with a larger vision to create a scalable model that can be replicated in communities across Canada, making education and support more accessible.

CSSIC previously received funding from the CCSIF in 2020 to support the development and piloting of the Future Ready Skills Translator, a process of facilitating more precise skills translation between postsecondary and employment contexts, which culminated in the creation of a set of demand-led, scenario-based AI simulations. 

Mohawk College’s City School has previously been awarded funding from CCSIF in 2018 to study the effectiveness of mobile classroom and in 2020 for employer demand-led research.

Funding Announcement: Canadian colleges address local challenges through 59 research collaboration projects

List of awardees: College and Community Social Innovation Fund grants

Colton Donald, a recent graduate of Mohawk College’s Mechanical Engineering Technology program, is featured in a YouTube interview. During his studies, he worked on SONAMI projects enabling him to acquire practical knowledge and skills in solving real-world manufacturing challenges. After his graduation, he was hired by Mohawk College's IDEAWORKS, Additive Manufacturing Innovation Center as an Engineering Research Technologist. Take a moment to hear his experience. 

SONAMI - Colton Donald- Student Showcase, Hired by Mohawk 

Mohawk College announced today that its Construction Materials Laboratory has been certified by the Canadian Council of Independent Laboratories (CCIL) for industry testing.

Mohawk College is the first post-secondary institution in Canada to become certified by CCIL, a non-profit organization representing independent, private-sector testing laboratories in Canada and offers the largest laboratory certification program in the country.

“This certification showcases how our students and our applied research expertise will meet the highest of quality standards that are demanded by employers and partners of Mohawk College,” says Jeff McIsaac, Dean of Engineering Technology and Aviation. “Hamilton and our surrounding communities are recognized as a hub of innovation for the aggregate industry. As the first and only college in Canada to have been certified, we now can offer the industry the talent and expertise they need.”

The Construction Materials Laboratory at Fennell Campus is used to support applied research projects with the construction industry and serves as an operational lab used for teaching in the college’s Civil Engineering Technology and Architectural Technology programs . This certification means the college has met the standardization and interlaboratory testing requirements of the CCIL Aggregate Laboratory Certification program and is qualified for Aggregate Quality Control Laboratories (Type C) and Aggregate Physical Property Tests (Type D).

“I am proud and grateful to work with this amazing team to make this certification a reality,” said Irene Amog, a faculty member in the college’s School of Engineering Technology and Aviation, who led the certification process along with Tyler Sowden, the technologist for the college’s Building and Construction Sciences programs. “The certification will bring many learning opportunities to the present and future students of Mohawk College.  I look forward to working with industry partners on their projects very soon.”

The newly certified lab will help support the growing demand in Ontario for applied research expertise in aggregate materials testing and applied research, in addition to giving Mohawk students an advantage when launching their careers in the construction sector. Regular laboratory inspections from CCIL will ensure that equipment is calibrated, staff members are proficient, and standardized test procedures are used.

Three Mohawk College students also received their individual certifications during the lab certification process.

“This was a tremendous opportunity to further my knowledge in this field,”  said Tyler Theim, who along with his classmates Evan Weidner and Oscar Padron Janica, received top marks on the certification exam. “It will assist in jumpstarting my career and I am grateful that Mohawk College is able to provide these experiences to students such as myself.”

Programs using the newly certified lab include Civil Engineering Technology, Civil Engineering Technician, Architectural Technology, Architectural Technician and Civil Engineering Technology-Transportation. Applied research projects are currently underway in the lab, with new research project opportunities available in Winter 2024. For a complete list of Type D tests available at Mohawk College, please refer to the CCIL website. For applied research partnerships, please reach out to Sherif Abdou at IDEAWORKS.

Mohawk College researchers are working with Interval House on an initiative aimed at easing stress and finding ways to support social service workers in Hamilton.

Mountain News/The Spec - Mohawk, Interval House to study front-line workers

Mohawk College researchers are working with women’s shelter Interval House of Hamilton to improve the well-being of frontline social service providers post-pandemic.

This innovative applied research project will examine the impact of COVID-19 conditions on frontline social service workers at the Hamilton-based shelter that serves women fleeing from relationship violence and abuse. Working with Interval House of Hamilton staff, college researchers aim to provide valuable insights that will guide the creation of a Wellness Toolkit to bolster the well-being of staff who have been dealing with the increased intensity and volume of cases that emerged during the pandemic.

“Due to the pandemic, frontline workers supporting at-risk individuals have endured many obstacles as they navigate various restrictions and closures. All the while, the pandemic caused a surge in the number of women seeking shelter, and increased the complexity of their needs in light of COVID-19,” says Christine Sager, Academic Coordinator of the Social Service Worker Program, who will be leading the project in collaboration with her colleague Ian Degeer.

“This work will open doors to improvements in the field by developing the Wellness Toolkit as a best practice resource that will help staff at Interval House of Hamilton and other organizations,” says Sue Taylor, Executive Director of Interval House of Hamilton.

Mohawk College’s Centre for Emerging Research Initiatives has received federal funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council’s (SSHRC) Partnership Engage Grant program to support this research project with the women’s shelter.

The grant provides support for Mohawk College researchers to study the impact of COVID-19 on Interval House of Hamilton social service providers’ well-being and ability to perform their work, with a focus on understanding how factors such as stress impact ethical decision-making. The data collected from the research will be used by the college team to develop the Wellness Toolkit, a resource document that will offer helpful self-care practices and enhance their best ethical decision-making efforts.

The research team will include four student researchers from Mohawk’s Social Service Workers Program, who will gain hands-on experience working on applied research as part of the project.

“Another important component of this project is student participation, as they support the process and learn the ins and outs of applied research in this field,” continued Sager. “Our hope is to build their competency and create interest in this area of academia. We strongly feel that this is an important component of the project.”

The Partnership Engage Grant offered by SSHRC in Canada helps researchers and partners from different sectors collaborate to solve societal problems and create benefits for society. The grant provides up to $25,000 for one year to support these collaborations. This grant is important because it encourages researchers and stakeholders to work together, share knowledge, and come up with new solutions to difficult issues faced by communities in Canada.

“We are grateful to receive the Partnership Engage Grant,” says Andrea Johnson, General Manager of Centre of Emerging Research Initiatives at IDEAWORKS in Mohawk College. “This grant will help further our collaboration with Interval House of Hamilton to explore the COVID-19-related challenges of social service providers and its impact on their well-being and ethical decision-making.”

St. Catharines is using staff and drones to keep a close eye on Burgoyne Woods while identifying other areas in the city with oak trees in an effort to prevent oak wilt from ravaging the canopy.

The city recently entered into a partnership with Mohawk College, which did drone aerial footage of Burgoyne Woods. That will provide a picture of what kind of canopy coverage loss the city will see if oak wilt were to hit the area.

Read more… The St. Catharines Standard - St. Catharines taking steps to prevent oak wilt from getting foothold in Burgoyne Woods

A new collaborative research project led by Mohawk College will focus on skills training for vulnerable girls and women. Researchers are exploring if a new way of providing skills training can help increase the well-being of vulnerable girls and women and enhance the efficacy of the roles they play in their families, communities, workplaces and beyond.

Mohawk College received federal support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) for a research collaboration with the non-profit, Newfoundland-based Rabbittown Community Centre. The funding will be used to explore how gamification can be used to improve skills training among vulnerable populations, specifically to support girls and women who are facing further employment, educational, and housing challenges post-COVID-19.] The research project will be led by Mohawk’s Dr. Christine Boyko-Head, Professor of Communication and Global Studies.

The Rabbittown Community Centre (RTCC) is based in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and works with local residents and with public and private organizations to ensure ongoing support and find comprehensive solutions to problems that impact local families and community members. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, RTCC’s employment program was halted for two years.  As part of the research project, Dr. Boyko-Head and Mohawk student researchers, along with researchers from Toronto Metropolitan University, and Memorial University will work with Rabbittown Community Centre to create needs assessments and develop gamified goals and skills development materials, to assist the non-profit with the relaunch of their programming.

“Girls and women are among the most adversely impacted by the pandemic's effects and other social disruptions,” says Lillian Lush, Executive Director, Rabbittown Community Centre. “This partnership with SSHRC, Mohawk College, and the research team will help remove access barriers and create new opportunities for our clients as they increase their awareness and agency of how to create and/or access future opportunities based on their increasing knowledge and skills. We are excited to see the positive impact it will have in our community.”

Dr. Christine Boyko-Head, a faculty member and researcher at Mohawk College, expressed her gratitude for the federal support of the collaborative project with RTCC. “This is a major step in exploring how serious gamification can enhance knowledge development, retention and mobilization.”

“We feel that it is imperative to assist vulnerable girls and women build skills, achieve goals, and engage in whatever futures they want to create, be it employment, family, or community or global activities. We value the Rabbittown Community Centre’s commitment to providing these opportunities. By investigating girls’ and women’s needs for personal and collective success, and the metaphors and myths that resonant with their experiences, we are able to assist RTCC scale their services and equip their clients to succeed in the present and the future."

The project is funded by a SSHRC Partnership Engage Grant, which provides up to $25,000 for one year to support partnerships between researchers and stakeholders from different sectors, promoting collaboration and leading to new solutions to the complex challenges faced by Canadian society. Additional support is provided by Mohawk College’s IDEAWORKS Catalyst Fund, through its faculty release fund. For more information on the IDEAKWORKS Catalyst Fund, please email Andrea Johnson at andrea.johnson4@mohawkcollege.ca, and for more information on the project with RTCC, contact Dr. Boyko-Head at Christine.boyko-head@mohawkcollege.ca.

In a recent ceremony,  local MPP Monique Taylor officially launched the Cancer Assistance Program (CAP) new client and inventory management system called C.A.P.E (Cancer Assistance Program Enterprise). This custom-designed management system was a result of a partnership with Mohawk College’s MEDIC, Digital Health Technology. The applied research partnership with CAP is particularly significant as it involves CAP CEO Debbie Logel Butler, a Mohawk College Alumnus of Distinction. 

See coverage below.

The Mountain News/The Spectator - Hamilton's Cancer Assistance Program celebrates new client and inventory management system (thespec.com)

The Bay Observer - Cancer Assistance Program gets IT support to assist cancer patients

DID YOU KNOW: You can freely access Hamilton Spectator newspaper  articles through MyMohawk- click the link for Read the Hamilton Spectator under the Stay Connected section (right column). 

A new applied research collaboration between Mohawk College and Solar Grants Biotechnology Inc. (SBG Inc.) is exploring how plants can be used to create affordable, eco-friendly recombinant proteins for medical usage.

Cancer patients often face a lowered immune system after receiving chemotherapy. Recombinant proteins, specifically the human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), are used for the treatment of myelosuppression and leukopenia (low levels of white blood cells) in these patients.

“This project will have the ability to make a real impact on the healthcare industry,” says Igor Kolotilin, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at SGB Inc. "By producing a generic, potentially life-saving drug in engineered tobacco plants, we're hoping also to alter the general negative public perception of tobacco plants and showcase them as prolific, cost-effective and eco-friendly bioreactors.”

SBG Inc., based in London, Ont., has developed state-of-the-art engineered tobacco plant lines that express and accumulate various recombinant proteins, including a plant-produced version of G-CSF. In order to further commercialize their product, they will collaborate with Mohawk College biotechnology researcher Dr. Tiffany Leighton and a team of student researchers. Their goal is to investigate the performance of the plant-produced G-CSF, in comparison with commercially available E. coli-derived human G-CSF, on combating low levels of white blood cells in both mouse and human leukemia cell lines.

“This project is very exciting. Not only are we are turning plants into pharmaceutical biofactories, but we are also working on a medically relevant drug that is currently used to support cancer patients after receiving chemotherapy,” said Tiffany Leighton, Ph.D. “We are thrilled to be able to showcase our knowledge and skills here at Mohawk College. We believe this will be a very successful collaboration.”

The project will be supported by funding from the Canadian Bio-Cleantech Applied Research Network (CBARN), of which Mohawk College is a founding member. Established in 2022, with support from the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), CBARN supports small- to medium-sized bio-based companies by providing access to research and innovation services. The network aims to support the development of new and optimization of existing biotechnologies with the goal of generating advanced commercialization and job growth in the sector.

“We are grateful for the support of FedDev Ontario for this applied research project,” said Andrea Johnson, General Manager of the Centre for Emerging Research Initiatives. “Through our collaboration with SBG Inc., we’re able to advance innovation in clean biotech, and create meaningful research and learning opportunities for Mohawk College students working on this project.”

That was the goal when Alberta-based Mavryck Inc. and Mohawk College's IDEAWORKS partnered to create VivClima, a new artificial-intelligence-based construction project management software designed to help companies make emission baselines and reduce their carbon footprint.

Journal of Commerce - VivClima aims to reduce project emissions and save money with AI 

SubZero North, an organization that facilitates and promotes winter weather testing in and around Thompson, Manitoba, has worked in partnership with Mohawk College's IDEAWORKS. The announcement attracted media attention in Thompson.

Thompson Citizen - SubZero North signs memos with federal government, college 

The goal of the Mohawk-created system is to collect and analyze real-time image and sensor data and automatically communicate it to the Operations and Process Engineering Teams during the furnace’s operation. The project will expose Mohawk students to unique design challenges since the prototype will have to withstand the high temperatures and vibrations that are present within the blast furnace environment. 

By incorporating the industrial internet of things (IIoT) system into one of the primary stages of making steel, information gathered can also be incorporated into decision-making at the subsequent processes. This ability will lead to increased operational efficiencies and will optimize the use of resources both at, and outside of, the blast furnace. 

“Stelco is an innovative leader in the market, and we are constantly reviewing, developing, and implementing technology-based solutions in order to improve our processes,” said Peter Badgley, VP Technology for Stelco. “This project is a practical way to engage with Mohawk College’s research expertise while introducing local students – a critical part of our future workforce – to advanced manufacturing and the steel industry.” 

The Mohawk applied research team, led by Dr. Esteve Hassan, Mohawk’s  Natural Sciences and Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Industrial Research Chair for IIoT Applications, will include technical experts in machine vision and image processing, instrumentation and data analysis, sensors, advanced manufacturing, and process automation. The project will create jobs for up to 18 students from Mohawk’s School of Engineering Technology and Aviation.

“We look forward to working with the team at Stelco on this exciting collaborative research project,” says Dr. Hassan. “Our teams will work together to employ machine vision and complex data analytics to enhance the current blast furnace process monitoring and provide a superior way to monitor key performance factors.” 

The two-year project has received $300,000 in funding from NSERC through an Applied Research and Development Grant. Stelco will also be investing in the project as part of its larger investment in its blast furnace upgrade. 

“We are grateful for this federal investment in innovation and the commercialization of new technology,” says Cristina Gage, Dean of Applied Research (Interim). “With the support of NSERC, Stelco is not only able to invest in the future of steelmaking, but also directly invest in strengthening Canada’s future workforce, by creating research-focused work experiences for Mohawk students.”

A recent applied research collaboration between Mohawk College and Alberta-based technology company, Mavryck Inc., has produced a new tool, called Vivclima, to help construction companies create an emission baseline and make plans to reduce their carbon footprints.

As an Artificial Intelligence (AI) software company, Mavryck Inc provides clients with advanced project management and tracking tools to better plan, mitigate and implement construction projects and increase their project management maturity. Mavryck partnered with Mohawk’s applied research Energy and Power Innovation Centre (EPIC) and Centre for Climate Change Management (CCCM) to develop and integrate a carbon footprint calculation feature into the company’s project management platform.

 “Working with Mohawk College has helped us build the Vivclima feature, connecting it to our core AI capabilities, and provided value in the form of reducing the carbon footprint of our potential clients,” said Munir Khan, CEO of Mavryck Inc. “As a result, construction companies in Canada will be able to accurately monitor their carbon footprint and adhere to government regulatory guidelines on their projects’ greenhouse emissions.”

CCCM and EPIC worked with the company to develop the framework and structure of the Vivclima feature, including creating:

• A strategy to systematically tackle carbon emissions in construction projects.
• Carbon emission estimates based on Mavryck’s project management approach and input data.
• Relevant emission factors database related to the construction sector.
• Predicting carbon emissions including potential tax rebates.

“We are glad to be working with Mavryck Inc. on this progressive project. As Canada continues to move towards net-zero goals, reducing the environmental impact of construction projects will be an important consideration for builders and its customers,” said EPIC General Manager Dr. Mariano Arriaga. “Adding environmental aspects to Mavryck’s AI-based tools, construction companies will be able to estimate and quantify their environmental impact at different project stages and identify measures that can help reduce their carbon footprint and potentially jointly reduce construction costs. In the long-term, this information will help create benchmarks that will further help identify opportunities.”

You can find out how Mohawk College can help your company by emailing Dr. Shefaza Esmail to book an appointment. To learn more, please visit the Mohawk College IDEAWORKS website.

Two leading applied research centers at Mohawk – the Centre for Climate Change Management at Mohawk College (CCCM) and the Energy Power and Innovation Centre (EPIC) – are receiving a combined total of up to $300,000 from NRC IRAP to provide free assistance to eligible small- to medium-sized businesses between October 2022 and March 2024. Eligible businesses identified by NRC IRAP can receive up to 120 hours of applied research support from both research teams to assess their carbon footprint, identify energy reduction opportunities, leverage Mohawk’s equipment to monitor operations, and provide customized recommendations that fit their goals and interests for developing new innovative products and processes.

“Mohawk College applied research teams help industry partners address pressing challenges related to emission reduction” says Dr. Shefaza Esmail, Program Manager of SME Solutions at Mohawk College. “We are able to help partners increase their capabilities and reduce their environmental impact at the same time.”

The CCCM supports climate change efforts by partnering with municipal, industry and community partners on applied research projects. EPIC, nationally recognized as a Technology Access Centre, helps companies in multi-disciplinary technical challenges around energy and resource analysis, and the implementation of practical industry solutions.

Eight companies worked with EPIC and CCCM last year on applied research projects as part of the pilot phase of the NRC IRAP-supported initiative, including software company CarbonGraph.

“We are a small software start-up and didn’t have the resources to collect and compile existing life cycle inventory data to extend our database. Participating in the program was able to help us outsource these tasks, lean on Mohawk's climate expertise, and ultimately collect the information that will help us move forward with our business,” says Sam Anderson, Co-Founder of CarbonGraph.

To find out how Mohawk College can help your company, email Dr. Shefaza Esmail to book an appointment.

The two-year strategic alliance between Mohawk College’s Sensor Systems and Internet of Things (IoT) Lab and AIoT Canada, the national technology cluster for IoT technology adoption and development, will pursue a number of research projects and initiatives to help Canadian companies introduce or increase the use of IoT technology in their operations. As part of the research process, a number of student researchers will be engaged and supervised by the college, providing them with valuable experience with the latest technology as they prepare for careers in this exciting area of technology innovation.

As part of the partnership, Mohawk and AIoT will also build a Smart Factory Living Lab, to serve as a test bed and demonstration site to support the exploration of 5G technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

“We are very pleased with the establishment of a strategic partnership AIoT Canada.” says Dr. Esteve Hassan, the NSERC Industrial Research Chair for IIoT Applications who leads Mohawk’s lab. “It is a natural outcome of the collaboration between our organizations, targeting raising IIoT excellence. As a result, we will be able to increase the number of applied research opportunities to students and continue to respond to the national need for talent and expertise in this field.”

AIoT Canada was established in 2019 to promote the adoption, development, and operationalization of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies in Canada. “The collaboration with Mohawk College will allow the cluster’s industry and academic partners to access the new learning opportunities,” says AIoT Canada CEO, Michel Langelier.

Mohawk’s Sensor Systems and Internet of Things (IoT) Lab helps Canadian companies become more effective in their adoption of IoT for industrial use (IIoT). The research team supports the adoption of IIoT technologies through the development of proof-of-concept and prototype systems in collaboration with industrial partners. The Sensor Systems and Internet of Things (IoT) Lab is part of Mohawk IDEAWORKS, the college’s applied research division.

On its website, SONAMI recently featured Sherif Abdou is the Interim General Manager of the Additive Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC) at Mohawk College.

SONAMI - Meet your SONAMI Project Manager - Sherif Abdou

The federal government has given 

The Hamilton Spectator  -Mohawk College shares $3 million to help small businesses develop green energy products

As industry seeks to accelerate the adoption of new clean technologies to drive de-carbonization and the transition to a green recovery, there is a growing demand for made-in-Ontario solutions to achieve this objective. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting this transition to a green economy and to advancing clean growth innovators in this space.

Today, on behalf of the Honourable Helena Jaczek, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), Peter Fragiskatos, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue and Member of Parliament for London North Centre, announced an investment of $3 million for Lambton College of Applied Arts and Technology, in partnership with Fanshawe College (London), Mohawk College (Hamilton) and Loyalist College (Belleville), to establish the Canadian Bio-Cleantech Applied Research Network (CBARN).

The CBARN will provide research, technical and commercialization support to 65 southern Ontario-based early-stage SMEs in the bio-cleantech sector, leading to the development of 80 technologies, processes or products and supporting more than 110 jobs.

It will target that at least 25 percent of SMEs supported by CBARN are owned or led by underrepresented groups, such as Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, Black communities, members of racialized communities, women, youth, members of the LGBTQ2+ community, and newcomers to Canada. Additionally, students at CBARN institutions in the science and technology fields will have opportunities to develop and apply their skills in support of the participating SMEs, which will enhance their employability and contribute to a skilled labour force.

The CBARN network will provide companies with access to all partnering colleges’ applied research and technical expertise to develop and improve products and technologies that are commercially viable, grow their business and diversify the skillsets of their workforce. Timely access to specialized experts and equipment at Ontario’s post-secondary institutions can be a key support for helping these companies fully commercialize their products and bring them to market sooner.

Through this project, early-stage SMEs will undertake collaborative projects that focus on new low-carbon processes and products, greenhouse gas reduction and other environmental benefits. Ultimately, the project seeks to help companies participating in CBARN to gain a competitive advantage via the development of new and more efficient products, processes and services in comparison to their national and international competitors. These industry-driven projects would be commercially viable and lead to increased economic activity including circular economy outcomes.

Additional details related to CBARN and application process can be found at https://cbarn.webflow.io/. 

To learn more about applied research being done  at Mohawk College around bio-fuels, check out this video.

Quotes

“Mohawk College is excited to be a Canadian Bio-Cleantech Applied Research Network (CBARN) partner and we thank FedDev Ontario for its support and funding. We look forward to helping regional companies explore innovative sustainable applied research solutions for their businesses while providing student researchers with experience in the fast-growing bio-fuels sector. Mohawk College is committed to making a measurable impact on climate change and our involvement with CBARN represents another step toward that goal.”
-          Dr. Cebert Adamson, Mohawk College VP Academic

“Today’s investment reinforces the Government of Canada’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 by supporting projects that pave the way for a cleaner future, contributing to a resilient economy and the generation of good green jobs. Through the Canadian Bio-Cleantech Applied Research Network, 65 bio-based SMEs will be able to increase their competitiveness, products and customer base, grow their business and increase their workforce, boosting Canada’s green economy for years to come.”
– The Honourable Helena Jaczek, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

“Through this collaboration, Lambton College, in partnership with Fanshawe, Mohawk and Loyalist colleges are creating a network of opportunity for bio-based SMEs and a diverse pool of entrepreneurs to access critical support in the Sarnia, London, Hamilton and Belleville regions. Timely access to specialized experts and equipment through the CBARN network and Ontario’s post-secondary institutions will be a key support for helping these companies fully commercialize their products and bring them to market sooner.”
– Peter Fragiskatos, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue and Member of Parliament for London North Centre

“Lambton College is thrilled to be the lead institution of the Canadian Bio-Cleantech Applied Research Network (CBARN). CBARN reinforces Lambton’s commitment to innovation and workforce development within our community and region. This funding will attract more companies and investment while building an industry cluster to support the training and hiring of college students and graduates.”
– Dr. Mehdi Sheikhzadeh, Vice President, Research & Innovation, Lambton College

The Cleaner Air for Schools (CAFS) program, an initiative between partners Nerva Energy Group, Mohawk College and Climate Change Leaders, is the winner of the 2022 Clean50 Top Project Award. CAFS was recognized for its success in increasing ventilation in Ontario schools by an average of 40 percent, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 27.7 percent.

Read the full article in Mechanical Business - Mix of strategies helps boost ventilation in schools

A new applied research collaboration between Mohawk College and sustainable tech startup EarthOne will help give plants a “voice,” thanks to a connected plant monitor that will be designed and prototyped using the expertise of the college’s Additive Manufacturing Innovation Centre. This innovative technology allows plants to tell us when they need more moisture, more light and when they are ready to be harvested.

Based in Hamilton, Ontario, and counting two Mohawk College graduates amongst its founders, EarthOne was established in 2019 to make sustainable living easy and straightforward for everyone.

The college’s applied researchers will work with EarthOne to build the next generation of its EarthOne plant monitor, a smart device that targets a new generation of home and hobby gardeners, known as “prosumers,” who want lab quality measurements and a consumer-level experience.

With EarthOne’s product, the DOOT plant monitor, they will be able to capture accurate and detailed measurements of soil pH, temperature, relative humidity levels, soil moisture, and light intensity. They can also forecast a date of harvest for produce like tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and even some strains of cannabis, using a GDD measurement that can monitor the rate of transpiration, or water loss, in a plant.

The DOOT plant monitor will be the first plant monitor available on the consumer market that is modular, with the ability for consumers to add on new monitoring capabilities to connect with grow lights and automatic watering systems.

Part of the company’s mission is to make technology serve the environment, rather than the other way around, says EarthOne CEO and co-founder Sid Pereira.

“After our first version of the DOOT plant monitor sold out, it was important for us to design our next version so that it would exceed our customer’s expectations and include even more features to optimize yield and foliage,” says Pereira. “That’s why we turned to Mohawk to help us select and build the right sensor package and active components for our requirements.”

As EarthOne prepares for a larger production run, Mohawk’s applied research support will be key to helping the company upgrade its product design and anticipate any production hurdles. In its second iteration, the fully wireless device will feature a battery charge that will last up to 6 months, and will be durable enough not to corrode with regular exposure to soil, water, and sun.

“This applied research project will help EarthOne commercialize and bring a new Canadian agri-tech product to market,” says Sherif Abdou, General Manager of Additive Manufacturing Innovation Centre. “We’re pleased that Mohawk’s technical expertise in advanced manufacturing - from designing a durable case using 3D printing to sensor development to the electrical architecture of a custom printed circuit board - will help accelerate the company’s progress towards this goal.”

The prototype, built by the Mohawk team of applied researchers and students, will be used to help the company launch its Kickstarter campaign in Winter 2022 with a limited production run of 500 pieces.

The project is supported in part by funding from the FedDev Ontario -supported Southern Ontario Network for Advanced Manufacturing Innovation (SONAMI), a consortium of innovative Ontario colleges and universities, including Mohawk College.

Applied researchers from the Unmanned and Remote Sensing Innovation Centre (URSIC) at Mohawk College worked with RBG’s conservation team to collect images, video and LiDAR data using sensors mounted on remotely piloted aircraft (commonly known as drones). The visual data collected during the flights will now be used to assess the overall health of the ecosystem, including monitoring vegetation growth, tracking the impact of invasive species and monitoring watershed health.

Owned and managed by RBG, Cootes Paradise is the largest wetland at the western end of Lake Ontario. The lands contain one of the highest rates of biodiversity of plants per hectare in Canada and the highest biodiversity rate of plants in the region with 877 unique species. 

The research project marked the first time that RBG has used high-resolution imagery and thermal data to influence its ecosystem management practices. In the past, RBG used the aerial imagery periodically collected by various other organizations to help assess large-scale ecosystem recovery and develop management strategies. Since these images are collected for other purposes, however, they did not provide the timely and comprehensive data necessary to best support RBG’s conservation activities.

The team from Mohawk College, led by researcher Richard Borger, collected high-resolution images and LiDAR data of key areas of Cootes Paradise throughout the year. Following the flights, the research team, including five student researchers,  processed the information and generated orthographic imagery and LiDAR point clouds of the marsh for further analysis by RBG.

“We were pleased to put our expertise in remotely piloted aircraft systems to use and provide RBG with access to data that they have never had before,” says Richard Borger, the principal investigator on the project. “Having timely data collection at frequent intervals will result in a more informed response to ecosystem management.”

The research team from Mohawk College has considerable experience collecting photogrammetry and LiDAR data on vegetated sites. URSIC has completed flight operations for similar applications, including capturing LIDAR data for forest measurement and return-to-growth assessments, topographic mapping of heavily forested building sites, and training and support for emergency responders in search and rescue operations.

“The project helped us communicate and mitigate the negative impacts of the environmental challenges and help restore a part of Southern Ontario’s wetland ecosystem,” says Tys Theysmeyer, Head of Natural Lands for Royal Botanical Gardens. “We are grateful for the support of the Kenneth M. Molson Foundation and for the expertise available at Mohawk College that will help us improve our continuing efforts to protect this vital habitat.”

The 12-month project was supported by the Kenneth M. Molson Foundation, a private foundation that is dedicated to supporting research projects in aeronautical engineering education and research, aviation history and libraries, wildlife research, conservation, and habitat. The applied research collaboration with Mohawk College is part of RBG’s ongoing freshwater marsh restoration project known as Project Paradise.

The college’s applied research department, IDEAWORKS, received two Applied Research and Technology Partnership (ARTP) grants to support economic recovery and help 24 Canadian companies access Mohawk’s expertise in a range of technology areas, such as unmanned remote sensing systems, cross-platform connectivity, sensor integration, technology automation, and cyber security.

As part of the funding, as many as 64 students will be hired as research team members to support the projects. They will gain valuable technical skills in areas such as software development, sensor integration, data/image analysis and hardware design.

The awarded applied research projects include:

Canadian Unmanned & Remote Sensing Innovation Network

Remote sensing using remotely piloted aerial systems, rovers and unmanned boats is emerging as a rapid and cost-effective tool for exploring and inspecting critical infrastructure systems in sectors as diverse as energy and utilities, manufacturing, agriculture, transportation and security. To support and accelerate the use of technology in this field, the funding will be used to establish the Canadian Unmanned and Remote Sensing Innovation Network (CURSIN), a partnership between Mohawk College’s Unmanned and Remote Sensing Innovation Centre, Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Digital Integration Centre of Excellence, and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Centre for Innovation and Research in Unmanned Systems.   ARTP Option 2 Funding - $2,000,000

Recovery with Digitization and Connectivity of Products and Processes in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Manufacturing:

Canadian companies are still facing several challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including supply chain disruptions, logistical challenges and ongoing labour shortages. Mohawk applied researchers will help companies improve processes with technology, strengthen hardware/software communications and develop digitally connected products. The projects will leverage the expertise available in a number of IDEAWORKS research centres: the Additive Manufacturing Innovation Centre, the Energy & Power Innovation Centre, MEDIC, and the Sensor Systems and Internet of Things (IoT) Lab.  ARTP Option 1 Funding - $641,800

Additional funding through SONAMI

In addition to the above-funded projects, Mohawk College will receive research funding as part of a consortium of applied researchers that received ARTP funding to support additive manufacturing innovation. An announced $2 million was awarded to the Niagara College-led Southern Ontario Network for Advanced Manufacturing Innovation (SONAMI), a network that includes Mohawk, Centennial College, Conestoga College, Fanshawe College, Lambton College, McMaster University Niagara College, and Sheridan College.

This funding is part of an announced federal investment of $46.9 million for 74 new applied research projects through the College and Community Innovation (CCI) program, managed by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, in collaboration with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. This investment in applied research will allow colleges, CEGEPs and polytechnics across the country to help Canadian small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) apply innovative research and technologies or developing them into useful new products and services.  

Quotes

“We are grateful to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada for its generous support. This funding will allow  Mohawk students to gain valuable applied research experience, working with Mohawk researchers to find and implement innovative technical solutions that can give companies a competitive advantage. As one of Canada’s top-ranked research colleges, we look forward to contributing to a strong, resilient recovery in the Hamilton region.” - Ron J. McKerlie, President & CEO, Mohawk College

“Today’s funding announcement recognizes the significant expertise available at Mohawk College’s innovation centres and research labs and the valuable role that applied research and college expertise plays in helping Canadian companies grow and thrive.”
- Cristina Gage, Interim Dean, Applied Research, Mohawk College

"This additional support from the Government of Canada is a testament to the value of colleges, CEGEPs and polytechnics and how they contribute to Canadian innovation – from exceptional applied research expertise and training experience, to outstanding facilities and equipment. On behalf of the tri-agencies, congratulations to the successful colleges who will benefit from this special investment that will help their students, local businesses and communities thrive." - Alejandro Adem, President, NSERC  

Sherif Adbou, General Manager (Interim) of the Additive Manufacturing Innovation Centre at IDEAWORKS, was part of the successful team (Tenomix) that recently won the Synapse Life Science Pitch Competition.

The innovative commercialization plan was featured in inTheHammer  - Creator of 'Lymphonator' cancer care device wins Hamilton's Innovation Factory life science competition.

Check out the competition site and the winning Tenomix pitch -  2022 WINNERS

The answer to all your medical questions will soon be a screen scroll away.

Mohawk College’s newest applied research partnership with a local digital health start-up will make a difference to the thousands of Canadians who are tired of having their healthcare records stored in multiple places.

Mohawk College’s mHealth and eHealth Development and Innovation Centre (MEDIC) has partnered with Waterloo-based TAMVOES, creator of a health management platform that allows individuals to collect and securely store copies of their health information, such as surgical history, vaccinations, allergies, medications, laboratory tests and much more. TAMVOES provides users with both a mobile and web platform that hosts their information in one easy-to-access place. The company also recently announced an Apple Health Integration for its brand new mobile app that will allow users to import data such as heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate into the platform.

“Even the healthiest of people have reams of health information about them captured in various places. Especially when there is illness or injury, it’s key that patients and caregivers make informed decisions based on complete and accurate information,” says co-founder Madison McBay. “Working with MEDIC will give us access to technical expertise around high-level integration that we wouldn’t otherwise have as a start-up.”

Medical test results are a large piece of the data that Tamvoes users, and all individuals concerned about their health or that of their loved ones, want to access. Currently these can be fractured across multiple laboratories and systems, including government databases, with limited to no access available to individuals. MEDIC’s digital health software developers have designed a universal integration hub that can be easily extended by Tamvoes to different repositories of data to fetch and securely store health data in a Tamvoes user’s Personal Data Trust. The same hub is also connecting Tamvoes users to other services, such as test analysis and interpretation.  

“By working with TAMVOES to optimize its system-to-system communication, we’re ensuring that the future of healthcare will be more patient friendly while allowing healthcare providers to maintain confidentiality,” says Doug Ward, General Manager of MEDIC. “We are happy to support TAMVOES with its goal of delivering individuals health information with greater efficiency.”

The project will be supported by funding from Southern Ontario Pharmaceutical and Health Innovation Ecosystem (SOPHIE). SOPHIE is a healthcare innovation initiative established by Innovation Factory and the Synapse Consortium to help high-potential life science companies like TAMVOES scale and generate economic value across southern Ontario.

Dr. Hassan is on the steering committee for esteemed conference, which attracts researchers from around the world.

Last year, Dr. Hassan and his research team at the Sensor Systems and Internet of Things (IoT) Lab at Mohawk’s IDEAWORKS presented two papers at the conference. 

The conference will be hosted in a hybrid format this year, in order to accommodate a large number of situations, with options for either physical presence or virtual participation (with pdf slides or pre-recorded videos).

Registration opened this week for the conference, which will run from April 24-28, in Barcelona, Spain.

YMS and Mohawk College have partnered to develop a reimagined billing application that will support healthcare providers by introducing much needed automation and reducing the time they spend on administrative tasks.

This project was featured in Canadian Healthcare Technology magazine. 

MEDIC at IDEAWORKS, is a federally-funded Technology Access Centre (TAC) in Digital Health, globally recognized for its expertise in accelerating the development of interoperable and secure healthcare IT solutions. As a TAC, MEDIC provides Canadian businesses with applied research and development services to create new digital health products and to integrate digital health technologies to facilitate the interchange of health data.

The new board members, each serving a three-year term, will provide MEDIC with expert guidance on the Canadian digital health landscape, evaluate progress, and oversee annual reports to the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), which funds 60 Canadian TACs.

“I am pleased to welcome our new members to the Advisory Board and look forward to leveraging their expertise to support MEDIC in developing and innovating interoperable and secure healthcare IT solutions,” says Doug Ward, General Manager of MEDIC. “In the dynamic and very broad digital health technology landscape, it is good to know that I have access to the level of support these health tech professionals bring.”

The new members of the advisory board are:

Asmaa Al-Hashimi, Business Development Consultant, City of Hamilton

A key member of the City of Hamilton’s Economic Development Division-Business Investment and Sector Development team, Ms. Al-Hashimi is responsible for business development, retention and expansion, focusing on Life Sciences, ICT and Digital Media sectors in the City of Hamilton.

David Carter, Executive Director, Innovation Factory

As the head of a Hamilton-based organization that helps Ontario businesses launch, scale and succeed in tech innovation, Mr. Carter ensures that the City of Hamilton builds a healthy ecosystem of innovative technology and advanced manufacturing companies and start-ups.

Mark Casselman, Chief Executive Officer, Digital Health Canada

As the CEO at Digital Health Canada, a member-supported association for digital health professionals, Mr. Casselman leverages his experience working with executives and clinical leaders in the Canadian Health Ecosystem to advocate and help grow the Canadian digital health industry.

Niraj Dalmia, Partner, Deloitte Canada

A partner at Deloitte Canada, Mr. Dalmia is the Data Modernization and Analytics Market Offering Leader for Omnia AI, Deloitte Canada’s Artificial Intelligence Practice, where his primary focus is the Life Sciences and Healthcare Industry.

Elaine Huesing, Executive Director, Health at TECHNATION

As part of the founding team of TECHNATION’s Health Division, Ms. Huesing helps members navigate the ICT challenges and opportunities of the health sector, drawing on her experience as a founder of the Alberta Network for Health Information exchange (ANHIX) and as the editor and publisher of Healthcare Information Management & Communications Canada, the official journal of Digital Health Canada.

Gail Martin, CEO and Strategic Partnerships Director at McMaster HealthLabs (MHL)

With past experience in the academic, non-profit, government and private sectors, and now working for the newly established non-profit MHL, Dr. Martin leads the development of research initiatives and solutions that help curb the human, economic and social costs of COVID-19.

Brian VanOosten, Director of Customer Success, Smile CDR Inc.

At Smile CDR, a quickly-growing healthcare data platform provider, Mr. vanOosten leads the Customer Success practice, ensuring that Smile's large enterprise customers around the world meet their business and technical objectives. In addition to his work at Smile, he teaches at Mohawk College and is adjunct lecturer in digital health at University of Toronto.

In addition to the above advisory board members, Marion Voegtlin, Senior Program Officer, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), will be serving as NSERC’s representative to the board.

For more information about MEDIC, visit www.mohawkcollege.ca/MEDIC.

Based in Toronto, Ontario, YMS provides electronic medical records (EMR) management and healthcare billing software for specialists and community care physicians. The family-owned health IT company has been hosting physicians on the cloud for over 20 years.  YMS will be working with MEDIC, Mohawk’s mHealth and eHealth Development and Innovation Centre to build a mobile focused billing platform to better support today’s fast paced provider.

“In collaboration with our clients YMS is excited to be designing a progressive and relevant solution which offers the busy healthcare professional of today the flexibility and efficiency they require,” says Andrea Flint, Director and Managing Partner at YMS. “We’ve been working with MEDIC for many years and we’re excited to continue that relationship to support further efficiency for today’s healthcare providers.”

According to a survey conducted by The Canadian Medical Association, doctors spend an average of seven hours per week on indirect patient care (e.g., charting, reports, phone calls, meeting patients’ family), 2.62 hours per week on administration, and just under two hours per week on managing their practice.

The MEDIC research team will work with YMS to redevelop its billing application into a mobile cloud-based tool with an efficient workflow, a secure system, and a modular framework to enable successful integration with the YMS EMR. MEDIC will also help the company with the optimization of the physician workflow by adding intelligence and designing a solution delivering an upgraded experience focused on capturing data at the point of care.

The project will employ two Mohawk College information technology student co-ops each semester throughout the three years, working closely with a team of four digital health professionals from MEDIC. This will result in an outstanding internship opportunity for 18 co-op terms. At the end of the project, YMS anticipates hiring four new employees to meet the anticipated demand for their new product.

 “We’re pleased to collaborate with YMS to develop the next generation of their billing system,” says Doug Ward, General Manager of MEDIC. “MEDIC’s technical expertise in digital health development, especially in mobile design and health data privacy and interoperability will help YMS move to a more dynamic billing technology for the benefit of the company and its physicians and clinic administrators.”

The three-year project is funded through an Applied Research and Development Grant of $450,000 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

Making it in Ontario - Before you try to jump over the valley, do your research!

See some of the media coverage of the college's recognition:

InTheHammer - Hamilton's Mohawk College ranked among top-10 research colleges in Canada

The Bay Observer - Mohawk honoured for its research

Since late 2017, the Centre for Climate Change Management at the Joyce Centre for Partnership and Innovation at the Fennell campus  has been a regional hub for collaboration on climate change action. 

Bianca Caramento, CCCM acting general manager, was recently interviewed about the centre's main areas of action. 

Read: Centre for Climate Change Management at Mohawk College offers 5 ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions | TheSpec.com

The company recently updated their findings in a blogpost about the partnership's work. Accessible Web Maps – Part II

"The amazing team at Mohawk College put together a highlight reel of the user-testing as well as a report on the methods and results. The 14-minute highlight reel talks about the four key principles of the WCAG, and shows clips of the user-testing related to those principles."

Check out the video if you would like to better understand the challenges facing blind and partially sighted people when they try to navigate online.

The Bay Observer - ArcelorMittal Dofasco and Mohawk team up on steel quality research project 

Steel News - AM Dofasco and Mohawk College Partner on Digital Transformation Project

Announced today, researchers from Mohawk College’s Sensor Systems and Internet of Things (IoT) Lab will design and test an imaging and deep learning-based automated system for the identification and removal of slag, a byproduct of steelmaking.

The two-year project is funded by $300,000 from the National Sciences and Research Council of Canada (NSERC) through an Applied Research and Development Grant. ArcelorMittal Dofasco is also investing in the project with the support of Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen). The work is part of a large portfolio of digital transformation work currently being completed by ArcelorMittal Dofasco.

Slag is produced when molten steel is separated from impurities. For every 300 tons of steel, approximately four tons of slag must be removed. Precision and consistency are an important part of the process. If too little slag is raked off, the quality of the final product is compromised. If too much molten steel is removed when the slag is raked off, the production efficiency is compromised.

Researchers will work with steelmaking specialists to increase the accuracy of its slag-raking system by automating existing technologies and processes using IoT-driven sensor and image processing techniques. The team, led by Dr. Esteve Hassan, National Research Chair for IIoT Applications, will include experts in imagery, instrumentation and software, sensors, advanced manufacturing and process automation.

“We are grateful to NSERC for its generous support. Mohawk is one of Canada’s top-ranked research colleges, with a nationally recognized team in the area of industrial sensor technology. Through the strength of our partnerships with industry leaders like ArcelorMittal Dofasco, our research students and staff have the opportunity to explore ground-breaking technologies and to help our partners remain at the forefront of their industries.”
- Jeffrey McIsaac, Dean of Applied Research, Mohawk College

“This project is part of ArcelorMittal’s work with Canada’s Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster and Next Generation Manufacturing Canada. As a founding partner of the Supercluster, we believe in the collaboration required to achieve a world’s first for digitization at a Ladle Metallurgy Facility. The Mohawk College team’s contribution for an imaging and deep learning-based automated system is a critical component of our larger project portfolio.”
- Tony Valeri, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, ArcelorMittal Dofasco

“Steel is an essential material in our evolving world and inextricably linked with Canada’s economic growth and prosperity. This project will provide state-of-the-art technology, applying artificial intelligence and deep learning to sufficiently minimize the content of furnace slag in a pouring ladle.”
- Dr. Esteve Hassan, Mohawk’s Industrial Research Chair for IIoT Applications

Canadian Healthcare Technology - MEDIC receives renewal grant for digital healthcare | Canadian Healthcare Technology (canhealth.com)

Over the next five years, funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) will be used to support hundreds of applied research projects and partnerships with Canadian companies, driving innovation in digital health, virtual care, interoperability and software development.

“We are grateful to NSERC and its College and Community Innovation program for this funding,” said Alison Horton, Mohawk College Vice President, Academic, who announced the funding to digital healthcare specialists during the college’s annual Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resource (FHIR) North virtual conference. “This renewal allows the talented MEDIC team to continue providing the digital health sector with world-class applied research support. At the same time, it offers dozens of student researchers the opportunity to apply their keen, innovative perspectives to pressing digital challenges and to gain hands-on experience in the field.”

Established as an applied research innovation centre in 2009, MEDIC was first recognized by the federal government as a Technology Access Centre in 2016. Since then MEDIC has completed over 1,100 applied research projects, and training contracts, partnering with health IT start-ups, leading Canadian digital health companies and global NGOs.

“COVID-19 restrictions have created a significant need for digital health data interconnectivity, as well as increased demand for virtual care,” said Jeffrey McIsaac, Dean of Applied Research at Mohawk. “MEDIC’s expertise in interoperability, app development and health system design is in high demand. This funding will also allow MEDIC to integrate further expertise from across the college, including IoT, accessibility and medical technologies.”

MEDIC has provided work experience to more than 100 college students and continues to support the development of skills needed in the digital health community. MEDIC works in close partnership with Mohawk’s recently established four-year Bachelor of Digital Health Degree and Digital Health graduate certificate.

MEDIC is part of IDEAWORKS, Mohawk’s research and innovation division. Mohawk College was named as Canada’s fourth top research college in the 2020-2021 Research Infosource Ranking.

NSERC’s College and Community Innovation program funding is part of the federal government’s recent investment of $38 million to colleges, CEGEPs, and polytechnics.

Quick Facts

• Mohawk College has two Technology Access Centres (TAC). mHealth & eHealth Development and Innovation Centre (MEDIC) and the Energy and Power Innovation Centre (EPIC), established to help address process inefficacies and energy waste in the manufacturing sector.
• Since 2016, MEDIC has completed 1,100 projects, services, and training contracts.
• Mohawk ranks among the top five colleges in Canada for applied research activity. Mohawk is recognized as a leader in applied research in digital health technology, additive manufacturing, and energy.
• MEDIC was awarded the Bronze in Applied Research from the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics in 2018.
• Mohawk is a member of the Synapse Life Science Consortium, which includes St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, the City of Hamilton, Innovation Factory, the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, and the Bay Area Health Trust.

The award was recognized by The Environment Journal - Canada's Clean50 and top projects recognized

See the orginal release from Nerva Energy Group.

Mohawk College has partnered with an accessible web development company and an indie rock band to teach students how to create a better online experience for Canadians with disabilities.

Mohawk has launched a free online program, available to high school and post-secondary students across the country, that will help participants learn how accessibility and usability can produce a more inclusive web environment.

“Canadians who experience barriers to accessing digital content are not commonly considered by web and content developers,” said Jennifer Jahnke, the coordinator of Mohawk’s Accessible Media Production program and the lead applied researcher on the project. “By introducing inclusive web design skills, we help students experience the Internet through the eyes of our users, who may be using a variety of assistive technologies, or who just experience situational barriers.

“An inclusive web, created with intentional accessible design, benefits all users. We want students to learn this early on in their education.”

Websites for All - The Inclusive Web Project is an on-demand, 90-minute training program that can be completed by students independently or used by teachers as part of a web development curriculum. It is available in French and English.

The project is the result of a 12-month collaboration between Mohawk’s Accessibility Research Lab, students in the college’s Accessible Media Production program, CMS Web Solutions and Hamilton-based indie rock band Silvertone Hills. The program was developed with funding from Canadian Internet Registration Association (CIRA).

“As a web development company focused on accessibility, it’s been an honour to collaborate with Mohawk College to introduce the concepts of usability and accessibility to the next generation of web designers and developers,” said Sandi Gauder, co-founder of CMS Web Solutions, based in Lindsay, Ontario.

Silvertone Hills was an important partner. The indie rock band’s participation brought the project to life. The band allowed the project team to create two sample websites for them, one that was inaccessible and one that followed best practices in accessible web design. The band’s involvement provides a relevant, real world example of this process.

“As a band, providing content is extremely important to keep our fans engaged,” said bandmember Andrew Billone. “I can't imagine the difficulty and frustration people with disabilities feel when being faced with inaccessible technology, so we are glad we could help in any way possible.”

Websites for All is available nationally for free thanks to the support of CIRA’s Community Investment Program, which supports initiatives that build a trusted internet for Canadians. Revenue from the registrations and renewals of .CA domains support CIRA’s Community Investment Program and made it possible for Mohawk to receive an $85,919 grant last year.

"Everyone deserves the full experience of being online, regardless of their background or ability,” said Tanya O'Callaghan, vice president of community investment, policy and advocacy at CIRA. "But for Canadians with disabilities, navigating an increasingly online world can be isolating if websites aren’t developed with them in mind. That’s why we’re proud to support projects like Websites for All, which will help equip designers and developers with the skills they need to create accessible web content for everyone.”

The 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability reported that more than 6 million Canadians, aged 15+, identify as having a disability – it is expected actual numbers are higher. Additionally, provincial legislation, such as the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), makes it a requirement that public sector organizations and large businesses conform with the global Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0.

In addition to student-focused content, Websites for All also includes resources for teachers such as lesson plans and activity guides that make it easier for educators to integrate the online modules into an existing web development curriculum.

All training modules and educator resources are available for free (in English & French) at https://websitesforall.ca.

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Créer de futurs développeurs Web pour un monde accessible

Des chercheurs de l'université, une société Web et un groupe indépendant local s'associent pour sensibiliser à l'accessibilité du contenu Web

Le Mohawk College s'est associé à une entreprise de développement Web accessible et à un groupe de rock indépendant pour enseigner aux étudiants comment créer une meilleure expérience en ligne pour les Canadiens en situation de handicap.

Mohawk a lancé un programme en ligne gratuit, accessible aux étudiants du secondaire et du postsecondaire partout au pays, qui aidera les participants à apprendre comment l'accessibilité et la facilité d’utilisation peuvent produire un environnement Web plus inclusif.

« Les Canadiens qui rencontrent des barrières à l'accès au contenu numérique ne sont généralement pas pris en compte par les développeurs de sites Web et de contenu », a déclaré Jennifer Jahnke, coordinatrice du programme de production de médias accessibles de Mohawk et chercheure appliquée principale du projet. « En introduisant des compétences en conception de sites Web inclusifs, nous aidons les étudiants à découvrir l'Internet à travers les yeux de nos utilisateurs, qui peuvent utiliser une variété de technologies d'assistance ou qui rencontrent simplement des barrières situationnelles. »

« Un Web inclusif, créé avec une conception accessible intentionnelle, profite à tous les utilisateurs. Nous voulons que les étudiants apprennent cela dès le début de leur éducation. »

Des sites Web pour tous - Le projet Web inclusif est un programme de formation à la demande, d'une durée de 90 minutes, qui peut être suivi par les étudiants de manière indépendante ou utilisé par les enseignants dans le cadre d'un programme de développement Web. Il est disponible en français et en anglais.

Le projet est le fruit d'une collaboration de 12 mois entre le laboratoire de recherche sur l'accessibilité de Mohawk, les étudiants du programme de production de médias accessibles du collège, CMS Web Solutions et le groupe de rock indépendant Silvertone Hills, basé à Hamilton. Le programme a été développé grâce au financement de l'Autorité canadienne pour les enregistrements Internet (ACEI).

« En tant que société de développement Web axée sur l'accessibilité, ce fut un honneur de collaborer avec le Mohawk College pour présenter les concepts de convivialité et d'accessibilité à la prochaine génération de concepteurs et de développeurs Web », a déclaré Sandi Gauder, cofondatrice de CMS Web Solutions.

Silvertone Hills a été un partenaire important. La participation du groupe de rock indépendant a donné vie au projet. Le groupe a permis à l'équipe du projet de créer deux exemples de sites Web, l'un inaccessible et l'autre conforme aux meilleures pratiques en matière de conception Web accessible. La participation du groupe a fourni un exemple pertinent et concret de ce processus.

« En tant que groupe, il est extrêmement important de fournir du contenu pour maintenir l'intérêt de nos fans », a déclaré Andrew Billone, membre du groupe. « Je ne peux pas imaginer la difficulté et la frustration que les personnes handicapées ressentent lorsqu'elles sont confrontées à une technologie inaccessible, donc nous sommes heureux de pouvoir aider de toutes les manières possibles. »

Des sites Web pour tous est offert gratuitement à l'échelle nationale grâce au soutien du programme d'investissement communautaire de CIRA, qui soutient les initiatives visant à créer un Internet fiable pour les Canadiens. Les revenus provenant de l'enregistrement et du renouvellement des domaines .CA soutiennent le programme d'investissement communautaire de CIRA et ont permis à Mohawk de recevoir une subvention de 85 919 $ l'année dernière.

« Tout le monde mérite de vivre l'expérience complète de l'Internet, quels que soient ses antécédents ou ses capacités », a déclaré Tanya O'Callaghan, vice-présidente de l'investissement communautaire, des politiques et de la défense des intérêts de CIRA. Pour les Canadiens en situation de handicap cependant, naviguer dans un monde de plus en plus en ligne peut s'avérer isolant si les sites Web ne sont pas conçus en fonction d'eux. C'est pourquoi nous sommes fiers d'appuyer des projets comme Sites Web pour tous, qui aideront à doter les concepteurs et les développeurs des compétences dont ils ont besoin pour créer du contenu Web accessible pour tous. »

L'Enquête canadienne sur l’incapacité de 2017 a indiqué que plus de 6 millions de Canadiens, âgés de 15 ans et plus, s'identifient comme ayant un handicap - on s'attend à ce que les chiffres réels soient plus élevés. De plus, la loi provinciale, comme la Loi sur l'accessibilité pour les personnes handicapées de l'Ontario (LAPHO), exige que les organismes du secteur public et les grandes entreprises se conforment aux directives mondiales d'accessibilité aux contenus Web 2.0.

En plus du contenu axé sur les étudiants, Des sites Web pour tous comprend également des ressources pour les enseignants, telles que des plans de cours et des guides d'activités, qui facilitent l'intégration des modules en ligne dans un programme de développement Web existant.

Tous les modules de formation et les ressources pour les éducateurs sont disponibles gratuitement (en anglais et en français) à l’adresse suivante : https://websitesforall.ca.

Commercial and institutional buildings have traditionally consumed huge amounts of power from our mostly centralized electrical system. A lot of progress has been made in recent years to improve efficiency and energy conservation but much more can, and must be, done.

Mohawk Research Chairs, Anthony (Tony) Cupido and Mariano Arriaga co-authored a column in The Toronto Star highlighting green building approaches, based on the experience of buliding and operating The Joyce Centre on Fennell Campus. 

Read: Joyce Centre shows green-building ambitions can pay off

IDEAWORKS has released this year’s IDEAWORK Year in Review, a look back at the academic 2020/2021 year.

The IDEAWORKS Year in Review provides an overview on the accomplishments and highlights of the college’s Applied Research division, showcasing some of the work of the 353 students and 153 faculty and staff that provided solutions to industry and the Hamilton community.

Amongst its other milestones, in Fall 2020, IDEAWORKS achieved a milestone outlined in the college’s strategic plan, when it was named a top 10 Canadian college for applied research.

Read more in the IDEAWORKS Year in Review.

Dr. Esteve Hassan, Mohawk’s IIoT Research Chair, and a team of three students from Mohawk’s IIoT and Sensor Systems Lab will work jointly with Motsai to develop a new micro-sensor system (MOUVION) to be used as part of the company’s IIoT platform.

Motsai provides smart sensor product development and technical consultancy services to support smart and connected products. Established in 2010, the company works across a wide range of sectors, including industrial monitoring, healthcare, agriculture and mining. While each sector faces its own unique challenges, Motsai noticed a common theme amongst its clients – a need for a modular and configurable Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) sensor that could fit into smaller spaces without requiring major hardware design changes. Dr. Hassan proposed that the company prototype a second-generation IIoT device based upon his research in micro-sensors.

Most conventional IIoT/smart sensor devices are closed systems that use one type of communications system, such as WiFi, Bluetooth, or LoRa (Long Range). While some smart sensors do allow for multiple configurations of different communication systems, they are often too large to be used by many industrial clients, says Dr. Hassan.

“Many of Motsai’s clients want to adopt IIoT technology within their facilities but equipment structure and available placing volume limits the quality of probes and sensor signals,” explains Dr. Hassan. “We will collaborate with Motsai to design and prototype an IIoT sensor that is not only flexible and configurable, with respect to the systems it uses to communicate and transfer data, and is also smaller than anything commercially available on the market.”

As part of the project, Dr. Hassan will also develop a new conceptual tool to train students nationwide in building and deploying IIoT systems.

The project will be funded by an NSERC Engage grant; Engage grants are designed to help innovative Canadian companies access college expertise to solve company-specific problems.

The applied research sensor project will serve as a proof of concept for MOUVION, the company’s new IIoT device, says Motsai founder and president Jean-Samuel Chenard.

 “With modular data transfer options and re-configurable sensors, MOUVION will help our company build better solutions for our clients,” says Dr. Chenard. “We’re grateful that Dr. Hassan proposed this collaboration to accelerate the development of this new sensor for the platform. MOUVION will serve as a foundational platform for a range of customized products that can track equipment deterioration to planning preventative maintenance, leading to safer and smarter industrial operations.”

(The article below by Andrea Johnson was published in the June/July issue of Canadian Healthcare Technology magazine.)

A recent federal investment in a Hamilton-based, life science cluster has increased access to expertise and funds for innovative healthcare technology companies – like VoxNeuro.

When VoxNeuro, the creator of a neurotechnology that helps doctors test cognitive functions and performance, was looking for investment from groups and individuals who are focused on life science, they reached out to the Synapse Life Science Consortium.

Synapse is a life science cluster that was launched by Hamilton’s regional innovation centre, the Innovation Factory, along with the City of Hamilton, McMaster Innovation Park, Bay Area Health Trust, Hamilton Health Sciences, St. Joseph’s Healthcare, McMaster University, and Mohawk College.

“Synapse was ready to make the introductions to help us build our network of investors,” said Kimberly Elliott, VoxNeuro’s chief operating officer. “Especially in healthcare, investors who are focused on driving positive social impact through technology are a great fit.”

Access to specialized expertise and support can make or break a life science company. That’s why a recent federal investment in Synapse – one that unlocks millions of dollars of funding for healthcare innovation for 40 Canadian companies – is welcome news for start-ups and scale-ups. In March, FedDev Ontario announced the launch of SOPHIE, the Southern Ontario Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Innovation Ecosystem. The $6 million investment in Innovation Factory will allow Synapse to significantly increase its programming and ensure faster access to clinical and technical support for eligible life science and health tech companies.

For David Carter, executive director of Innovation Factory, the establishment of SOPHIE is about supporting healthcare innovation with a focus on community. This can be done by increasing access to expertise and preventing companies from getting stuck behind red tape.

“Hamilton is home to world-class research institutions such as McMaster University, Hamilton Health Sciences, Mohawk College, and St. Joseph’s Healthcare. We have over 120 research institutes,” said Carter. “We have these great assets in our city that can now be used in a coordinated and consistent manner through SOPHIE.

“And it’s not just about clinical research. Yes, we have an extensive hospital network for clinical research, but there is also support for technology development, for additive manufacturing. It’s a powerful combination for companies to build, validate and test products that not only survive but also thrive in the system.”

SOPHIE offers a unique model for the future of healthcare innovation, with a multi-faceted approach to supporting companies.

The majority of the funding has been earmarked to help companies scale up with R&D support: $4.5 million will be available for companies that want to leverage their R&D budget to work with one of the research institutions affiliated with the consortium.

The remaining funds will be used to help support start-ups through the Synapse Life Science Competition and to run consortium programming and network events. The targeted distribution of the funds was by design, according to Alex Muggah, director of Synapse. Access to research expertise to build and refine prototypes and projects has been a key pain point for companies since the launch of Synapse in 2016.

“The challenge that we have is that our anchor research institutions – St. Joe’s, HHS, Mohawk, and McMaster – all lack dedicated funding instruments to be able to support innovative projects,” explained Muggah.

“And the companies who want to work with them oftentimes don’t have all the necessary funding to be able to support these projects themselves and move quickly to commercialize their idea,” he added. “With SOPHIE, a key benefit that we will be able to decrease the amount of time it takes for an innovative idea to emerge from the lab or someone’s garage and get to market. Already 10 companies have signed up to partner with SOPHIE.”

Doug Ward, general manager at Mohawk College’s mHealth & eHealth Development and Innovation Centre (MEDIC), sees the launch of SOPHIE as welcome news for digital health companies looking to commercialize quickly. MEDIC has been working with companies for over a decade and is one of the research labs that companies can work with through SOPHIE.

“While government R&D funding is a welcome source of support, the funds are often tied to specific due dates or deadlines – if you miss one deadline, you have to wait another few months or even a year,” said Ward. “Companies work fast and SOPHIE helps us to respond to their needs quickly and accelerate their development. This can result in a big step forward for a company’s product. We can make real change happen rapidly.”

Plus, Ward said, the program delivers significant value to the private sector: “The funding advantage from this program is massive. Who wouldn’t want to invest $1 and get $6 back?”

The launch of the SOPHIE comes as no surprise to those that have been watching the evolution of life-science companies in Hamilton. Muggah calls Hamilton a “goldilocks-sized city” for health innovation that has a “foundation of research, clinical care, health education and training that is pound for pound unrivaled in the rest of Canada.”

“You have the capabilities, the capacity, and the resources that you would find in Toronto or Boston, but we aren’t so big that it’s challenging for a company to access the equipment or expertise you need,” he said. “You aren’t waiting in a queue for two or three years to get a meeting.”

And while the expertise and network start in Hamilton, the scope is global.

“My phone has been ringing off the hook since this was announced,” Carter said. “And that’s because this isn’t about businesses that were created in Hamilton and sell in Hamilton. We’re building businesses for a world market.”

VoxNeuro’s Elliot agreed. The company just expanded into the U.S. market.

“We want to globally change the way brain health is managed and treated,” she said. “Ultimately, we are driven to become the gold standard of cognitive assessment, an integral part of every brain health assessment, worldwide.” That was the intention of SOPHIE funding, to support the concentrated expertise found in the Hamilton Region in companies like VoxNeuro and deliver it to people around the world.